Isabel Travancas holds a degree in journalism from PUC- Rio, a master’s in social anthropology from Museu Nacional (Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, UFRJ) and a doctorate in comparative literature from the State University of Rio de Janeiro (UERJ). She has lectured in the degree courses in communication at PUC-Rio, UERJ, Estácio de Sá University and Candido Mendes University. She has also taught in undergraduate and graduate programs at Escola Superior de Propaganda e Marketing, with the graduate discipline being in the anthropology of consumption.

She is an adjunct professor at the UFRJ Department of Communication, giving courses in the undergraduate program and in the graduate program in communication.  Her research interests include communication, literature and anthropology.

She has been an associate professor at Fundação Dom Cabral since 2009. She gives talks and courses in anthropology, communication, consumption and organizational culture.

At Universidade Petrobras, she has given classes on the anthropology of consumption, and has also given a course on the same topic to managers, trainees and employees at telecom company OI.

She has published the following books: O mundo dos jornalistas (Summus Editorial, 1993); O livro no jornal (Atelie Editorial, 2001); Juventude e televisão (FGV, 2007); and, as a co-editor with Patrícia Farias, Antropologia e Comunicação (Garamond, 2003).

Lecionou a disciplina Antropologia do Consumo na Universidade Petrobras e deu curso sobre o mesmo tema para gerentes, traines e funcionários da empresa OI.

É autora dos livros: O mundo dos jornalistas(Summus Editorial, 1993), O livro no jornal (Atelie Editorial, 2001), Juventude e televisão (FGV, 2007) e organizadora com Patrícia Farias de Antropologia e Comunicação(Garamond, 2003).